Lydia D. Avila is from a working-class suburb of Los Angeles County, a first generation Mexican-American, and an organizer first and foremost. Lydia has spent most of her career immersed in the US climate movement and most recently served as the Executive Director of the Power Shift Network. Lydia attended UCLA for her undergraduate education where she was involved with student-initiated, student-run social justice service organizations. After college, she was a community organizer for the Sierra Club in Texas where she led two major “Beyond Coal” campaigns. In 2015 Lydia earned a Master of Public Administration degree at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, specializing in nonprofit management. Lydia is currently a freelance consultant focused on training, facilitation and capacity building for mission-driven organizations. She works from her home in Los Angeles accompanied by her plump cat, King Louie.